Another Time Flyboy
by Anguirus111
Summary: It's up to Hal Jordan and Clark Kent to confront an evil being from the future known as Tempus.
1. The Visitors

Anguirus111 Note: This is my first, and in all probability only, Smallville fic that I plan on writing. I've had the idea, as I'm sure a lot of you have, of having The Green Lantern Hal Jordan show up in the show. I hope it really does happen provided they get a good actor to play Hal/John/Guy/Kyle/Alan/whoever they pick. I did like the Flash and Aquaman appearance as of late and though I seriously doubt this'll do them justice I just hope it'll turn at least halfway decent. Apologies in advance if anyone turns out OOC, I've watched the show more since I was enticed by seeing Kal-El fly in Season IV' opener, but I'm still getting a hold of the characters. This takes place sometime during Season V. Will Hal get his ring during this fic? How should I know I'm just the writer! So stay tuned…I guess.

Arizona Salt Flats: A pair of jeeps moved across the dry lake beds headed for the opposite sides. Onboard were a group of college students were enjoying their waning days of summer and wanting to really open up on the beds. When they were just about to pack it in, one of them spotted a strange object emerging from one of the clouds.

"What's that?" one of them asked.

"Beats me," said another as the object shifted direction and came straight at them.

"I'd say it's a bird," said another student. "Probably one of them bald eagles or something."

"It's too fast and too big to be a bird," said another student as the object picked up speed.

"A plane?" asked another.

"Maybe," said the original student unconvinced. The object suddenly drew closer and closer and a visible wake was seen behind it.

"Whatever it is I think it's angry!" shouted another student as he slammed on the accelerator. The two vehicles moved faster down the lake beds as the object zoomed in right above and then directly over their heads with a deafening noise accompanied by a sonic boom that shook the students to the bone as an experimental military jet roared by.

Edge of the Salt Beds: General Sam Lane watched the jet's antics through a pair of binoculars before scowling and picking up a nearby radio located on the dashboard of the jeep he was next to.

"Lieutenant Jordan your assignment is to test that plane's capabilities, not to risk crashing it trying to impress or scare some civilians thereby giving away top military secrets," he said menacingly into it.

"Sorry sir but I couldn't resist. Besides, they shouldn't have been out there anyway," came the enigmatic response, clearly untouched by General Lane's tone of voice. Sam Lane scowled while watching the self-dubbed: _Man With No Fear_ perform a pair of aerial maneuvers in the sky before roaring over the Salt Flats again directly over the two vehicles still maneuvering to get away from it.

"Permission to switch to practice rounds?" asked the joking response.

"Denied!" said General Lane. A muffled laugh came over the radio before the plane roared over the Salt Beds again before shooting upwards nearly ninety degrees and performing a loop before shooting off into the cover of the clouds and slamming on the afterburners turning the cloud yellow.

"This test is concluded you may return to base," said Lane into the radio.

"Aw, just five more minutes," said the response condescendingly.

"That's an order!" shouted Lane into the radio.

"Yes sir," came the disappointed response as the plane vanished into the distance. Lane shook his head angrily at the departing plane before turning around to face his companion who was still in the jeep.

"That man has no respect," said Lane as he got in.

"Regardless, he is the best pilot we've ever had in the testing program," said General Hardcastle. "He is willing to take those planes to their maximum limits and then beyond that. You don't find many pilots willing to do that these days, now it's all about using computer models and other nonsense like that. We do need him if we hope to keep the testing program up and running because I know I don't want to put pilots in untested vehicles."

"Yes," agreed Lane as Hardcastle turned on the jeep and drove it off back to Area51. "But a lesson in humility could do him some good."

"What did you have in mind?" asked Hardcastle as he pulled onto the local freeway and headed off down the road.

"My daughter Lois has been spending quite some time down in a Kansas town known as Smallville," began General Lane.

"The town twice devastated by meteor showers?" asked Hardcastle. "I guess you two are related, she's got your resolve."

"Yes, but I'm more concerned about the secondary problems that have erupted in that town after the first meteor shower," said Lane.

"The so called 'Meteor Freaks' investigated by your niece Chloe Sullivan?" asked Hardcastle.

"Yes," agreed Lane. "The government has kept a classified file on what has been going on in that town and with the event not too long ago of a UFO attacking Lex Luthor's jet at nearly 30,000 feet in the air, they have been pressing to establish at least a reoccurring military presence there."

"As I recall you went there yourself under the guise of keeping your daughter safe," said Hardcastle.

"Yes," Lane nodded. "But that was the extent of it aside from the military's evacuation of that town following the second meteor shower. I think it is time we sent another representative to that town."

"Who?" asked Hardcastle before noticing Lane looking off into the sky. "No! You want to send Jordan? You can't be serious, he's a test pilot not a military enforcer."

"It would not be a serious military venture, strictly informal and very temporary, but it would prove the point to this pilot that some military members are not willing to put up with his antics," said Lane as he took out a military document. "Also it would show the town that the military is not intent on destroying Smallville after what occurred with that nuclear missile not too long ago that 'mysteriously' detonated prematurely."

"Okay, but this might blow up in your face," warned Hardcastle. General Lane took out the document and signed it.

"It cannot make things any worse then they are now," said Lane looking at the document. "Hal Jordan is now on official temporary assignment to Smallville Kansas."

Area51: "What?" Hal Jordan asked incredulously. The brown haired pilot was sitting in front of General Hardcastle's desk with the General sitting behind it and General Lane standing right next to him while in the far background, through the General's window, was the VTOL, _X-7_, that Hal had been piloting over the Salt Beds and was currently being serviced by various mechanics.

"Are you hard of hearing pilot?" asked General Lane menacingly. Hal raised an eyebrow at him before looking at his orders and then back up at him.

"You want _me_ to go to an out of the way town just to show them that the military cares about their fair city?" asked Hal.

"That's it," said Hardcastle.

"And how does this fall under my job description?" asked the pilot beginning to realize he was being set up.

"Look at it this way," said Hardcastle spinning around on his chair to view the VTOL. "At the moment we have no more planes for you to test pilot. However, the billionaire Lex Luthor who currently is residing in Smallville is currently developing our next test vehicle and is reportedly near completion."

"I thought LuthorCorp was a grain manufacturer," Hal commented.

"On the surface yes but he does deal with military weaponry from time to time," said Hardcastle turning around and opening a dossier on his desk and looking through it. "And with the recent but spectacular failure of a project code named: _Leviathan_, Mr. Luthor is anxious to make up for its failure. The aptly named _Bird of Steel_ is that apology. I won't go into the specifics of its design, that is all classified, but if it works it will revolutionize the fighter industry," said Hardcastle. "And we can't afford to have Mr. Luthor selling this design overseas if you catch my drift. So you'll go, observe, interact, and then bring that bird back to us in one piece is that understood."

"He put you up to this didn't he?" asked Hal pointing to General Lane who smiled menacingly.

"Is that understood?" repeated Hardcastle refusing to be baited.

"Yes sir," said Hal slumping down on his chair defeated.

"Good," said Hardcastle as he slid a second dossier over to the pilot. "Here's all you'll need to know. We've got you holed up in the local recruitment office in Smallville but if you can find alternate lodging feel free to take it. Unless you have any further questions you are dismissed."

Hal raised his hand.

"What soldier?" asked Lane.

"Can I fly the _X-7_ over there?" Hal asked.

"No," said Lane. "In fact I think you've had enough flight practice for now, you'll be the taking the bus."

Hal opened the dossier and a bus ticket fell out onto his lap.

"You can't be serious," said Jordan shaking his head.

"You'd better get going your bus leaves in fifteen minutes," said Lane consulting his watch. Hal groaned and grabbed his dossier before rushing out the door.

"This should be good," said General Lane.

"You want to put a wager on it?" Hardcastle mused.

"Betting in the military is strictly forbidden," Lane pointed out.

"Call it a friendly bet amongst friends then. I'll say 500 bucks he comes back exactly the same," said Hardcastle.

"You're on, I predict he'll come back a shell of his former self," said Lane.

"We'll see," said Hardcastle with a grin before leaving his office. "We'll see."

Smallville, a few days later: The bus pulled away leaving Hal Jordan, in full military uniform, behind alone in a town he wanted nothing to do with. Sighing he picked up his bags and headed down the main street which was being decorated in anticipation of Thanksgiving.

"You've got to be kidding me," said Hal shaking his head. His hometown of Coast City did nothing of this sort and Hal found the idea that some towns did disturbing.

"Apparently I'm overdressed," said Hal to himself as he began to feel embarrassed by the awkward glances that came his way. He continued on in silence as he passed a few stores and a café called _The Talon_. As he was doing so he noticed an older blond haired gentleman struggling to get a large pumpkin inside.

"Here let me help you with that," Hal offered as he set down his bags on the side of the building. He grabbed a hold of the side of the pumpkin and both managed to bring it inside, but even with both of them they still found it a struggle and by the time they'd placed it in the window they were both exhausted.

"Thanks," said the man catching his breath. "My son's not in town at the moment otherwise I'd have had him help me."

"I doubt it would've been any easier," said Hal sitting down on one of the chairs in the café.

"Maybe," said the man as if sharing an inside joke with himself. "You're new in town aren't you?"

"Was it that obvious?" asked Hal sarcastically. The man laughed.

"I'm Jonathan Kent," said the man offering his hand.

"Hal Jordan, United States Air Force," said Hal shaking it.

"Come to do some recruiting when some of the students return for the break?" asked the man as he sat down as well.

"That wasn't my intention, no," Hal admitted.

"Upset the wrong person then?" asked Jonathan with a grin.

"You could say that," said Hal breaking out into a smile as well despite himself. Both laughed before another woman joined.

"Jonathan," she acknowledged before turning to the other man. "Who's this?"

"Martha meet Hal Jordan United States Air Force. Mr. Jordan this is my wife Martha," said Jonathan.

"Ma'am," said Hal nodding his head in her direction.

"Mr. Jordan here was helping me bring in some of the pumpkins," Jonathan explained.

"I told you to wait for me to give you some help," said Martha upset. "You've got be more careful with your heart."

"Martha I told you not to worry about it," said Jonathan. "And besides, I didn't want to have to trouble you because you've got enough on your plate already. My wife runs this establishment Mr. Jordan."

Hal looked around. "It's quite nice. Reminds me of some establishments I used to go to back home before I joined up."

"Where'd you used to live?" asked Jonathan as Martha went to get them some water.

"Coast City," answered Hal.

"Ah a west coaster," Jonathan acknowledged. "Hope we're not too primitive for you."

Hal laughed again. "I don't know about back home, but I find it difficult to believe that anyone can be more primitive than my superiors back at the base."

Jonathan laughed at that. "You're alright Mr. Jordan."

"Call me Hal," Hal offered. "I really don't think I'll be wearing my military gear much around here, this is as close to R&R as I'll be getting and I plan to enjoy it."

Martha returned with a couple glasses of water which both thanked her for as she sat down next to them.

"Well if you want some enjoyment, Martha and I also run a farm not too far from here," said Jonathan. "When my son Clark shows up I'll be sure to introduce you somehow I'd imagine you two hitting it off."

"We'll see," said Hal nodding. "Anyway I don't want to trouble you two anymore than necessary, I'll just be going."

"Don't be a stranger," said Jonathan. Hal nodded and left the establishment and picked up his bags and continued walking.

"Do you think we should trust him?" asked Martha after he had left.

"What do you mean?" asked Jonathan confused.

"Well with Clark getting his powers back, do we really want to risk the military finding out about it?" asked Martha a little worried.

"I don't think Hal is a threat," said Jonathan. "He seems like a nice guy to me and Clark's always careful using his powers around other people. He's survived so far, what's one more person?"

"It's your call," said Martha not entirely convinced as she left to get back to her work. Jonathan sighed and finished his water before setting it down on the table and left to go get some of the smaller pumpkins to adorn the front window of _The Talon_. As he did he felt a brief rush of wind and turned around to see Clark standing right behind him.

"A little too exuberant are we?" asked Jonathan. Clark shrugged.

"What can I say, a week off is a week off. It feels like I've been gone forever though not just a few months," responded the kryptonian before grabbing a pumpkin as well.

"So who was that?" he asked pointing his head down the street where Mr. Jordan was still walking.

"Just an air force pilot who made the wrong people mad, Hal Jordan," said Jonathan. "You know if you've got the time you should show him around."

"I was kind of hoping to spend some time with Lana," Clark reluctantly admitted. Jonathan sighed and shook his head.

"I trust you can spend at least _some_ time away from her," he said.

"Alright," Clark said reluctantly. "I'll find the time."  
"Good," said Jonathan. "Think of it as your patriotic duty."

"Maybe I have been gone too long," Clark admitted. Jonathan grinned and lightly punched him on the shoulder as both proceeded inside _The Talon_.

Down the street Hal was looking around at all the festive decorations and became so engrossed in them that he failed to notice a certain brown individual walking right at him caught up in her cellphone conversation. The two collided and both fell down onto the sidewalk.

"Sorry," said Hal quickly getting up and helping the woman to her feet. As he did, realization hit them both in the eyes.

"Hal?"

"Lois?"

"Oh great," they both said annoyed.

Several miles away: The air sizzled and crackled as artificial lightning appeared before a round black orb became visible and quickly dissipated leaving a strangely garbed individual behind.

"Ah, at last I have arrived back in the past ready to get rid of that pesky Superman from the timeline once and for all!" shouted the individual to the heavens. "He will forever rue the day he crossed _TEMPUS!_"

As soon as he was finished, silence was heard along with the crickets chirping and the figure held his head in shame before looking both ways down the dirt road he was on.

"_Now…how exactly do I get out of here?_" the figure wondered bewildered.


	2. Busted

Smallville: "Well, well if it isn't everyone's favorite delinquent," said Hal with a big grin as he laughed to himself.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Lois demanded. Hal shrugged.

"Well at first I thought it was on official business but now I see big bad dad just can't stand to let you out of his sights," said Hal shaking his head.

"My father sent you here?" Lois demanded.

"Yeah," said Hal annoyed. "And you can tell him I'm not amused."

"I'm not either!" said Lois annoyed. "Not get out of here before-."

"Hey Lois," said Chloe showing up. "Who's this?"

"No one," said Lois shoving Hal away. "And he was just leaving."

"Hey!" said Hal breaking free and holding out his hand. "I'm Hal Jordan, USAF."

"Chloe Sullivan," said Chloe shaking his head. "And umm…Daily Planet."

"I've read your column haven't I?" Hal asked confused. "Sullivan's Travels or something like that."

"Yeah," said Chloe impressed. "How'd you like it?"

"Well I-," began Hal when suddenly Clark ran up.

"Everybody okay, I saw what happened," he said.

"Fashionably late as usually Smallville," said Lois.

"Yeah Clark, what took you so long?" asked Chloe mischeviously. Clark was about to respond when Hal cut in.

"So you're Clark Kent huh?" he asked. "That's odd I thought your dad said he wasn't expecting you until later."

"Got out early," Clark lied.

"Oh,"

"Hey you guys," said Lana suddenly appearing.

"Hey Lana," said Clark slightly mesmerized. Hal rolled his eyes.

"Well I've got to be going," said Hal and with that he was gone.

"Yeah me too," said Lois hurriedly taking off as well. Chloe stood there bewildered before smiling and then dropping it and walking off as well.

"That was weird," said Lana confused.

"Yeah well, so how was school?" Clark asked.

"Good," said Lana. "Good."

The two walked off together. Hal meanwhile was trying to locate the recruitment office to his disappointment.

"It has got to be around here somewhere," he said trying to make sense of a local map.

"Hello again," said Chloe showing up once more. Hal tipped his head in her direction while continue to study the map.

"Smallest town in the world and this map is worthless," he said tossing it in a garbage can.

"It does have its perks," Chloe pointed out.

"So what do you want?" asked Hal. "Hopefully not a scoop because I'm the last person who would know anything about the military's operations."

"No," said Chloe shaking her head. "Besides I'm not really a reporter yet."

"Then how'd you get that column?" asked Hal.

"It's a long story," said Chloe before quickly changing the subject. "Anyway I couldn't help but notice that Lois acted very weird around you."

"Yeah so?" asked Hal. "Why does that concern you?"

"She's my cousin," said Chloe bluntly.

"Oh I didn't realize you were _that_ Chloe Sullivan, I just assumed it was a coincidence," said Hal as he continued walking down the street.

"Wait, you know who I am?" asked Chloe confused.

"I thought we already covered this," Hal said.

"Just tell me how you know her," Chloe snapped. Hal looked at her shocked.

"Yesh, calm down," said Hal. "I used to babysit her."

"What?" shouted Chloe. "You're not much older than she is!"

"Now you know why she's so upset," said Hal. "But her dad doesn't trust her at all so there you go. I'm only four years older than her but I did it for awhile. Needless to say she was, and still is, pissed."

"And that's how you found out about us being related?" Chloe asked.

"No, I didn't find out until you told me just a few seconds ago," said Hal with a grin. Chloe groaned.

"Sorry," said Hal sincerely. "But it's been a long bus ride and I'm exhausted. I'm also teed off that I have to be here to once again babysit her because General Lane can't get off either of our backs."

"Huh?" asked Chloe confused.

"He's convinced, like he was of so many years ago, that I'm a delinquent," said Hal simply. "So go ahead and print that in your paper, in the meantime I've got work to do."

With that he was gone down the street as Chloe watched him go confused before a long black limo appeared next to him. The rear window rolled down and Hal and the person in the back exchanged a few words before Hal got in. Chloe looked at the limo in shock.

"_Hal Jordan is in cahoots with Lex Luthor_?" she wondered confused before heading off to go find Clark.

Limo: "Greetings Mr. Jordan, I trust the natives haven't scared you off yet," said Lex Luthor with a grin.

"Let's get something straight," said Hal annoyed. "I don't want to be here and the only reason I am is because you're developing a bird that'll hopefully get me off the ground and back to my base as fast as possible."

Lex nodded. "I do admire punctuality. The plane will be finished in three days so until then you'll just have to enjoy yourself."

"We'll see," said Hal. The limo stopped outside the office and Hal opened the door.

"Until next time," said Lex.

"Yeah," said Hal and with that he was gone. Lex shook his head before the car rolled off as well. Hal entered into the office, went straight to the small room in the back and put his bags on the ground before flopping onto the bed and going to sleep.

Outskirts of town: Tempus slowly stumbled down the road exhausted as a black limo passed him by blowing dust at him.

"Jerk," said Tempus. "Well I'll show them all when I destroy Superman."

Next Day: Hal woke up wearily before rubbing his eyes. He got up, changed, and headed out into the early morning air before leisurely jogging down the road. As he did he passed by an alleyway that contained the unconscious form of Tempus who was still out cold from the long trip he'd had to endure. Hal quickly left the town proper and poured on the speed running faster and faster until he was well out of town and completely out of breath. As he stopped he stared up into the sky where he saw a group of geese flying directly overhead.

"Someday, someday," he said to them. He continued walking down the road with his hands in his pockets. After a few more minutes he reached a mailbox that read: 'Kent' on it.

"Speak of the devil," he said with a grin as he walked down the dirt road to the farm beyond.

Town: Tempus woke up and groggily cleared his eyes. He stumbled out into the street as he looked around confused at all of the decorations.

"_They must be delirious from all of the CFC's and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere_," Tempus reasoned. He approached _The Talon_ and looked up at it.

"Ah yes, the frequent jaunting grounds of the young Clark Kent, it is here that I will spring my trap," said Tempus happily. But as he approached the doors he couldn't help but still notice the Closed sign on it. He growled angrily before a thought occurred to him.

"Superman always arrives to save the day," he said with an insane grin. "So I'll just go make some trouble."

He walked off happily whistling to himself confounding the people around him.

Kent Farm: "Hey Hal," said Jonathan. "You're up early."

He was outside working on his tractor when he saw Hal walking down the road towards him.

"What can I say, being a fighter jock precludes any jet lag," said the pilot yawning.

"I'll bet," said Jonathan with a grin. "You know much about tractors?"

"I know about planes," offered Hal lamely.

"Well there are no crop dusters around here," said Jonathan. "But if you could hand me that three-eighths I'd appreciate it."

"Right," said Hal handing him the wrench.

"So what do you think of Smallville?" asked Jonathan.

"I miss the sky," admitted Hal truthfully. "But it does have its charm."

"That's good to hear," said Jonathan absently as he worked on the tractor. "So I hear you met Clark yesterday."

"Briefly," Hal snorted. "I don't think I left much of an impression though."

"Nobody's perfect," Jonathan responded. At that moment Clark appeared.

"Hey dad, sorry I'm late," he said. "Hey Hal."

"Clark," Hal acknowledged. "Listen about yesterday, I'm sorry to have left so abruptly but group meetings just aren't my thing, especially when I'm the odd one out."

"Don't worry about it," said Clark.

"I'm really not a bad guy," said Hal. "It's just that…"

A massive explosion was heard in the distance.

"What the-?" asked Hal as the ground briefly shook. In the far distance smoke could be seen rising from the ground.

"Isn't that where Smallville is?" Hal asked.

"Yeah, it is," said Jonathan stunned. Hal's military training kicked in.

"Alright you two stay here where it's safe, Mr. Kent I'm commandeering your vehicle for military purposes, Clark?" began Hal but the Smallville teenager was gone.

"Where did-?" Hal began.

"He probably went to call the authorities," Jonathan quickly covered up. Hal was about to press further, but he more important matters to attend to.

"Right, I'll be back!" said Hal as Jonathan tossed him the keys. Hal got in and started the truck before peeling off towards the smoking city.

Smallville: Tempus watched annoyed as pandemonium erupted as smoke and flames erupted from the local gas station.

"Come on, where is he!" Tempus shouted consulting his watch. "He's usually here by now!"

A newer model VW beetle pulled up to the edge of the inferno and two women got out looking at the blaze as one took out a pen and notepad and began jotting some stuff down. Tempus looked at them confused before pulling out his temporal scanner and imputing their images into it.

"Lois Lane and Chloe Sullivan," came the response from the machine as well as displaying a brief bio on both of them.

"Ah, this looks promising," said Tempus happily as he approached them.

"How did this happen?" asked Lois confused.

"I don't know, but now that I work with the Daily Planet I feel obligated to cover it," responded Chloe. "Man this is just too bizarre, first Lex is once again involved with the military and now…"

Tempus stood right in front of them.

"Where is Superman?" he asked simply. Chloe and Lois looked at each other confused before looking at Tempus like he was insane.

"Who?" they asked confused.

"Superman, where is he?" Tempus demanded angrily.

"What makes you thing that we even know who you are talking about?" asked Lois annoyed.

"You might not yet," Tempus conceded before turning to Chloe. "But I know you do."

Chloe's blood ran cold at that statement.

"I-I," she began when suddenly Tempus grabbed her and pulled right in front of his face.

"If you don't tell me where he is you can kiss your future goodbye," said the man darkly. "And believe me, I know how your future will turn out. I'm from it!"

"Hey let her go," said a voice. Tempus turned around to see Clark Kent standing there next to him.

"Finally, I've been waiting to get in touch with you all day," said Tempus grateful. He let Chloe go and whipped out a futuristic looking weapon and shot Clark point blank with it. The weapon emitted an energy beam which slammed into the college student flinging him backwards and into a brick wall on a building across the street.

"Clark!" shouted Chloe.

"Ha!" shouted Tempus happily. "That's Tempus 1, Superman 0!"

A screeching sound was heard as Jonathan's truck roared to a halt and Hal emerged from it and ran to the building that Clark had smashed through.

"Who the hell are you?" demanded Tempus.

"I'm Hal Jordan!" shouted the individual. He leapt though the gaping hole that was brimmed with fire as Tempus looked at him shocked.

"The Green Lantern?" he asked bewildered. "Here?"

Hal emerged moments later dragging a charred Clark Kent with him as Lois and Chloe rushed to help him.

"Is he dead?" asked Lois a little worried. Hal felt Clark's pulse.

"He's alive," Hal confirmed. "Somehow."

Clark coughed and sat up groggy.

"Wow," said Hal wide-eyed. "And here I thought you getting here before me was a miracle."

"You know us country folks, thirty miles to school and all that," Clark coughed.

"Damn it!" shouted Tempus behind them, primarily to himself. "He already has his invincibility!"

"I'll bet," said Hal looking at the time traveler confused. "Hang tight I'll deal with this guy."

"Hold on," said Clark weakly trying to stop him from going.

"I'll be fine, don't worry," said Hal with a grin. "Now get him out of here."

Lois and Chloe began to help Clark get to his feet as Hal advanced towards Tempus.

"Hey buddy what the hell is your problem?" demanded Hal.

"You don't scare me Green Lantern," said Tempus a little frightened. "Or you Superman!"

"I don't know what you're referring to," said Hal as Lois and Chloe helped Clark into their car and took off. "But all the same I'm going to take you down."

"Superman took that blast because he's invincible, you are merely mortal and cannot," said Tempus aiming his gun at him. "Doesn't that frighten you?"

"I don't feel fear," responded Hal. "And I swore an oath to uphold justice."

"Ah yes, the Green Lantern's mantra: In brightest day, in blackest night, let no evil escape my sight, let those who worship evil's might beware my power, Green Lantern's light," Tempus recited.

"Something like that," said Hal playing along. "So are you going to face me or not?"

Police sirens began blaring as cop car lights were seen in the distance.

"Another time Green Lantern," said Tempus. "Another time."

He tore off as Hal stood there even more confused as several cop cars pulled around him.

"On the ground now!" the cops shouted at him.

"You're joking right?" asked Hal.

"On the ground!" they shouted. Hal shook his head and laid down on the ground as he was handcuffed and tossed into one of the cop cars as it spun off. From the shadows Tempus watched him.

"_He may be even more of a threat than Superman_," the time traveler thought. "_After all, Parallax once took out Superman with one punch and that's not even considering how much power The Spectre has. I'd better eliminate him as well before he gets that infernal ring because after all with him and Superman eliminated there will be no Justice League for them to found_."

Tempus smiled happily and began skipping down the alleyway, humming to himself.


	3. Identity Crisis

Smallville: Hal was sitting in his jail cell annoyed at the prospect of having been wrongfully accused when one of the guards came and unlocked his cell.

"Jordan, you're free to go," said the officer. "Sorry about the mix-up but your orders finally came through to our office."

"No problem officer," said Hal hiding his anger at the whole situation. "We all have to do our duty."

"Yeah well, you have a phone call on Line 1," said the officer showing him to a phone before leaving. Hal picked up the phone receiver and steeled himself before pressing line 1.

"Hello?" he asked.

"Jordan what the hell happened?" shouted Hardcastle over the phone. Hal slumped down onto the chair behind him and laid his face on the desk.

"I don't know sir," said Hal calmly sitting up.

"I sent you to that city with the express intent of observation and interaction! How do you get arrested in less than twenty-four hours?" demanded Hardcastle.

"I can only assume you've read my deposition sir, it speaks for itself," responded Hal trying to avoid saying something that'd get him in more trouble.

"Yes," said Hardcastle turning insightful. "A person calling himself Tempus, armed with a 'ray gun' and spouting utter nonsense decided to blow up a gas station in a small town exactly around the time you decided to show up."

"Yes sir," said Hal dejected. "But I'm not making this up."

"Nor would we claim otherwise Jordan," Hardcastle said. "Nevertheless, his timing is fairly suspect."

"You think it's more than just a coincidence?" Hal asked his interest piqued.

"Considering he seemed to recognize you it would possibly indicate that he's after Luthor's plane," Hardcastle admitted. "By scaring you off he could be able to go to Luthor directly and give him a better offer, or better yet steal it."

"So are you going to send backup?" asked Hal hopeful.

"No," came the response. "If we do he'll know we're onto him and besides, he is only just one man. I trust you can handle that Jordan. How you get it done I don't care, just see to it that that plane makes its way into our possession. That is your top priority."

"Yes sir," said Hal defeated. "I'll do my best."

"Oh it'd better be more than you best, Jordan because your entire future now resides with that plane," said General Lane's voice cutting in. "If it goes down so do you."

The phone line went dead and Hal slowly put the receiver back on its base. He sighed and considered his options before leaving the jail.

Hospital: Clark was sitting in the hospital waiting room after having been discharged with no injuries whatsoever.

"I'm surprised you survived that," Chloe admitted.

"I don't know if I could've survived a second shot though," Clark admitted. "It's a good thing Hal showed up when he did."

"I don't know about our friend Hal," said Chloe.

"What do you mean?" asked Clark shifting to look at her confused.

"I know that a good reporter never bases conclusions without evidence, but after Hal left us I saw him get into a car with Lex Luthor," said Chloe.

"I see," said Clark nodding.

"It might mean nothing, but with this Tempus guy running around accusing you of being a 'superman' and Hal being some kind of lantern, Lex may be trying to force you to work with Hal in a way to provoke you to use your powers in front of him. Just keep a heads up, I'll try and get to the bottom of this as quickly as I can," said Chloe. "Until then just be careful."

"I will," Clark nodded. "Anyway I hope you're wrong about him, my dad seems to like him and that's rare with strangers."

"Hey Clark," said Hal approaching them. "How are you feeling?"

"I'll see you around," said Chloe to Clark. "Hal."

Chloe quickly acknowledged his presence and left leaving Hal confused.

"What's wrong with her?" Hal asked confused.

"She just has a lot of work to do over break between college and interning at the Daily Planet," Clark answered.

"I'll bet," said Hal nodding. "Anyway I'm glad to see you're not dead, I figured you were a goner after that beam hit you."

"I guess he had it set on stun," Clark said dryly. Hal laughed.

"So what's up?" Clark asked.

"I need your help," Hal admitted.

"With what?" asked Clark.

"With Tempus, who else?" asked Hal.

"Yeah that was kind of strange," Clark admitted, playing it cool as Hal sat next to him.

"Do you have any idea why he called you Superman?" Hal asked.

"No," said Clark, which was technically true. "Do you know why he called you Green Lantern?"

"None," said Hal helpless. "I'm just as confused as you are."

"Then I don't know what help I can be," Clark stated.

"I don't need your help in finding out who he is, I need your help in finding out where he is so we can stop him before he does anymore damage," said Hal.

"_Maybe Chloe is right_," thought Clark. But still, he couldn't sense any duplicitous behavior from Hal, which caused him to harbor some reservations about her theory.

"Just to reconfirm, you have no idea why he's after you, do you?" asked Hal. Clark shook his head.

"Great, well I guess we'll have to go find him then," said Hal getting up.

"Why do you need my help?" asked Clark innocently getting up as well. "Back at the farm you told me to stay put."

"Yeah I did but that was before I realize the person causing this trouble was after you. While I would still like to know how you got to town so quickly, I'm more concerned with what this Tempus guy is going to do in order to get at you," said Hal as the two emerged from the hospital and into the midday sky.

"You think he's going to try something like blowing up another building or going after someone I know?" asked Clark. "Like my parents, Chloe, or Lana?"

"I don't know," Hal said unsure. "He doesn't seem very mobile to me, so as long as your parents are out at their farm they should be okay. As for Lana and your other friend, Tempus seems to be solely focused on you so unless you prove elusive I don't think he'll go after them. Regardless, we need to find him first."

"A street by street sweep of Smallville?" asked Clark. Hal nodded.

"How fast do you think it would take you to conduct a search like that?" Hal asked.

"I'm not sure," Clark said. "Smallville isn't that big but if we want to be thorough it could take longer."

"Alright," said Hal producing a pair of radios and he handed one to Clark. "You head south, I'll head north. If one of us sees anything, radio the other for backup."

"I still don't see why we're dealing with this," said Clark testing Hal. "After all, the authorities will find this guy and detain him."

"You saw that gun he had, he won't go down easily," Hal pointed out. "And I've kind of grown to like the charm of this little town and I'd hate to see it destroyed by some madman on a quest for revenge."

Clark's super hearing picked up a noticeable difference in Hal's heartbeat at that statement indicating he wasn't telling the whole truth, but Clark had to admit he had his convictions about bringing Tempus down seemed sincere enough. It was all so confusing, Chloe was supposed to be the investigator here, not him.

"Okay, let's move out" said Clark with just a hint of his disbelief at Hal's statement. Hal shuddered briefly before heading north as Clark went in the opposite direction.

"_What could this Tempus guy want?_" Hal wondered confused. "_And how did Clark get to Smallville so fast and manage to survive that blast? Maybe Tempus was right about that 'superman' stuff_. _I wish John Stewart was here, he'd solve this stuff better than I can. Maybe I should call him_."

As he continued walking down the street in silence, he caught his eye on _The Talon_ as he was passing by. He stopped to look into the café and was amazed by the fact that people were in there being served despite the madness of a few hours prior.

"_I guess having a meteor shower rain down on you kind of takes the fear of a gas station exploding and renders it null_," he thought. As he was about to continue walking, a green flash erupted causing him to cover his eyes from the brightness of it all. As the glare subsided, Hal looked into _The Talon_ to see a green lantern sitting in front of the window on the other side. Hal was about to continue walking when the lantern flashed again causing him to pause.

"_Oh hell, am I going to regret this_," he thought shuddering. Hal went inside and grabbed the lantern by its handle before continuing down the street. Behind him, Clark watched bemused before following the USAF pilot down the street.

"Hey Hal," said Clark. Hal jumped and nearly swung the lantern at him.

"What are you doing here? Did you finish your sweep?" he asked.

"Yeah," said Clark, omitting the use of his super speed. "Between walking and asking people if they knew someone with Tempus's description I managed to cover the southern part of the town quickly."

"Hooray," said Hal nonplussed and a little angry at himself for not having done the same thing. "So he's clearly north of us then."  
"Assuming you haven't scared him off with your lantern," Clark laughed. Hal groaned.

"Can it," he said. "It's for the part."

"Didn't know you were an actor," Clark commented wryly.

"We all have to play parts we're not accustomed to Clark. Sometimes we have to pretend to be roles that we're not. Sometimes we must act opposite of our real selves in order to get the job done," said Hal. Clark nodded insightful.

"Are you doing that right now?" he asked. Hal nodded.

"And I'm not happy about it either," he commented. "Being two separate people can drive a man insane."

"So why haven't you gone nuts?" Clark asked.

"Probably because my two separate personas both believe that what the other one is doing is the right thing," said Hal after a few moments had passed. "I'm still staying true to my real self by playing both of them and that's all that matters. If I'm not, then yes I will go nuts."

"I'll keep that in mind," said Clark seriously. Hal snorted at that statement.

"Like you're ever going to be caught in a situation where you'd have an alternate persona," he balked.

"I might!" Clark protested. Hal shook his head.

"No you're not. Your future is all planned out for you, you're going to go to college, come back and marry your high school sweetheart, and then live out your life on the farm eking out a meager living and constantly wondering to yourself if you could've been something more," said Hal solemnly. Clark looked at him stunned.

"You really think that's true?" he asked. Hal nodded, sadly.

"Yes I do. I'm generally a good judge of character Clark, and I think that you could become something that's more than just the sum of your parts," Hal said as they continued walking down the street.

"Is this some kind of recruiting ploy?" Clark asked, trying to avoid the inner turmoil he was feeling about Hal's remarks.

"I don't do recruiting Clark," Hal responded quietly. "That's someone else's job, I just don't want to see you throw your life away. The sky's the limit; don't feel afraid to soar past it."

Clark fell completely silent at that statement and Hal hung the lantern on his wrist as he flung his hands into his pockets before turning his attention inwards and the two continued on in silence.

Elsewhere: Chloe was pursuing her own leads to locate Tempus and believed she had finally located him in northern Smallville. As she rounded a corner she spotted the madman a couple blocks away talking to himself to the curious looks of the other people on the sidewalk. Chloe quickly took out a camera and snapped a picture of him, which caught the eye of Tempus.

"Hey!" he shouted. Chloe turned tail and ran only to bump into Tempus who was right behind her.

"What?" she shouted stunned. Tempus looked at her annoyed.

"What do you want reporter?" he asked crossing his arms. Chloe was about to tear off in the other direction when Tempus slammed his right hand onto her shoulder and both vanished in a bright light. As soon as they were gone, Hal and Clark appeared from around a corner, solemn as ever, and continued on past where Chloe and Tempus had been before continuing on down the street.

Roof of _The Talon_: "I'll ask again. What do you want?" asked Tempus. He was sitting down on the roof lazily brandishing his laser gun. Chloe meanwhile was running around the roof verifying where she was.

"How did you do this?" she asked both terrified and ultimately intrigued. Tempus took out a small control device.

"Teleporter. Standard issue where I come from, everyone has one," he said calmly before putting it away.

"And where exactly are you from?" asked Chloe trying to stall for time.

"Well it's not so much a where as a when. I'm from the future," said Tempus.

"Okay," said Chloe not sure what to think as she paced nervously around the roof debating whether or not to scream her lungs off.

"What are you so afraid of?" asked Tempus bewildered.

"What do you think?" Chloe snapped before clamping her hands over her mouth. Upsetting your captor was never a good thing, especially if they were borderline psychotic.

"I'm not going to hurt you," Tempus assured. "I only want to kill Superman and The Green Lantern. I have no desire to harm anyone else."

"Oh yeah?" said Chloe disbelieving him. "What about that gas station?"

"No one was harmed or injured I made sure to that. I only wanted Superman's attention and I got it. True the interference of the Green Lantern was unexpected but not one that I'm not equipped to deal with," said Tempus.

"Why do you keep calling Clark 'Superman' and Hal Jordan 'The Green Lantern', they're not," said Chloe at least trying to get something out of this ordeal.

"Because it's not who they are now, but who they'll become," said Tempus. "Between the Green Lantern, Superman and the rest of that infernal Justice League, they'll find a way to end crime and poverty as we know it. They'll make a world of peace and justice where no one has to ever be afraid ever again."

"Sounds peachy," said Chloe a little impressed.

"It's a nightmare," Tempus growled. "A world like that is just fundamentally wrong. Everyone is nice and friendly and it's disgusting. I needed a way to change all that so I broke into Starr Labs and stole a time machine to catapult myself into the past to eliminate Superman when it was still possible. And here I am."

"Quite a story," Chloe agreed. "Too bad you can't prove it."

"But I can," said Tempus. "I could catapult us into the future if I so chose to, but I won't."

"Won't…or can't?" said Chloe. A brief flash of anger passed Tempus's eyes but he shrugged it off.

"If I go into the future I will be captured and will have lost my only chance at completing my mission," said Tempus. "Anyway I have no desire to prove myself in front of you. I just wanted to let someone know what Superman did before I destroyed him once and for all. Goodbye Lois."

"It's Chloe," Chloe stipulated. Tempus narrowed his eyes.

"Who did I say?" he asked.

"Lois, my cousin," said Chloe.

"Oh oops, my mistake," said Tempus deep in thought before snapping out of it and coming to a decision. "Well maybe I can kill you then."

Chloe's eyes widened as Tempus advanced on her. "You said you wouldn't kill me!"  
"Well you're a special case now, goodbye Sullivan," said Tempus adjusting something on his gun. Chloe screamed.

Edge of Town: "Well this was a bust," said Hal disappointed. He and Clark stared off into the cornfields beyond the town before turning and looking back the way they came.

"Maybe Chloe had better luck," Clark offered.

"Maybe," said Hal shrugging. "And speaking of which where's Lois?"

"Chloe mentioned she had to go have some choice words with her father," Clark recalled. Hal laughed evilly.

"Excellent," the pilot responded rubbing his hands together. Suddenly Clark's super hearing kicked on and he heard Chloe scream. Clark's eyes widened before turning to look at Hal who was looking deep into the core of the lantern he had brought with him as if probing its depths for some answer. Realizing he'd be better off explaining his disappearance later, Clark shot off down the street at superspeed leaving the entranced pilot behind.

Roof: Chloe screamed again as the beam shot out of Tempus's gun coming straight at her.


	4. Meeting of the Minds

Smallville: "Clark?" asked Hal lowering his lantern. The farmboy was nowhere to be seen.

"Great, now where did he get off to?" the pilot said annoyed. Down the street a red and blue blur shot down the street leaving a wake behind it blowing things everywhere as Clark ran down the street at full speed. Just as he reached _The Talon_ however, instead or rushing into the café proper and potentially destroying it in his wake, he summoned up his energy and took off into the sky with a massive leap to land on the roof of the café. He promptly picked up Chloe and moved her out of the way before the beam just barely passed both of them.

"Clark?" asked Chloe confused, wondering if she was still alive or not. Clark grinned briefly at her before his expression turned solemn and he looked at Tempus angrily.

"Oh come off of it, that trick may work on your enemies of this timeframe, but it doesn't scare me teen titan because I know you better than you know yourself," said Tempus smugly. Clark said nothing but just accelerated to super speed and headed straight for the temporal fugitive. However just as he was about to hit him with a massive punch, Tempus miraculously managed to evade it and even seemed to be moving at the same speed as Clark.

Street: Hal was already walking back to the center of town to look for Clark again when he saw the beam of energy come stabbing out from the roof of _The Talon_. Growling the pilot tore off down the street past the throng of townspeople who began running for their lives as move laser blasts shot out from the roof.

Roof: Clark came to a halt as a laser blast flew directly past him singing his shirt before whirling around to face Tempus.

"Impressed Kal-El?" asked Tempus with an evil grin. Clark scowled but refused to be baited by how Tempus knew his name. After the incident with Professor Fine trying to kill him back at the Fortress of Solitude, he refused to believe or ask anything from anyone who was trying to kill him.

"Well I probably shouldn't tell you, but I can't help it, it must be the evil genius creed or something to reveal my plans," said Tempus before producing his time travel device. "This little beauty allows me to slow time down and speed it up when need be, it kind of helps when dealing with someone who can run faster than a speeding bullet. I guess you'd call me the evil version of Viewtiful Joe. Henshin a go go, baby."

If Clark hadn't been convinced Tempus was insane before this finally drove the final nail into the coffin. But before the conversation could get any weirder, a green blur flew from out of nowhere and smacked into Tempus's head causing him to fall down in pain.

"Aahhhh!" the criminal shouted in pain clutching the back of his head. He turned around to look blearily up at Hal Jordan who was standing directly above him holding the slightly dented green lantern.

"By order of the United States Air Force you are under arrest," Hal said darkly as he stared at the man through his sunglasses.

"Screw you Green Lantern," Tempus spat at him.

"Save it for the judge," said Hal reaching down to drag him up.

"Save it for eternity!" Tempus shot back as he drew out his time device and fired it at Hal who instantly froze in place.

"Try and solve this one Superman!" Tempus shouted gleefully before he activated his time device and shot off from the roof and away from the building. Clark was about to go after him when Chloe stopped him.

"What're we going to do about him?" she asked. Clark looked at Hal before looking down at the fleeing Tempus.

"I should really be chasing him down before he causes anymore damage," he responded.

"Yeah but Clark sometimes being a hero means having to make tough choices. Yeah I would like to make sure Tempus is taken down too, but I couldn't live with that decision knowing that someone, who went out of his way to try and save me, died as a result. But it's your decision Clark I can't make it for you," said Chloe stepping back. Clark sighed and watched Tempus vanish from sight before turning his attention to Hal.

"What do you think Tempus did to him?" asked Clark walking over to the pilot.

"Best guess? Slowed him down," said Chloe feeling the pilot's pulse.

"How?" Clark asked confused as he used his x-ray vision to see Hal's internal organs.

"He has some sort of device that can allow him to manipulate time, even to the point of passing through it," said Chloe perplexed. "Or so he says, but I've seen little reason to doubt it."

"How'd he find you?" asked Clark trying to figure out how to snap Hal out of his current state.

"I went looking for him and I found him," said Chloe simply. "Then he brought me here by some other weird teleportation device and tried to kill me."

"Did he say why?" asked Clark. Chloe shook her head while an idea formed in Clark's head.

"You said he's slowed down right? So what if I speed him up, would that snap him out of it?" asked Clark.

"Sorry Clark, temporal mechanics was only offered second semester," Chloe offered dryly. Clark shook his head before grabbing a hold of Hal's wrist.

"Here goes nothing," he said unsure. Clark instantly snapped up to super speed for a split second and brought Hal along for the ride before coming to a halt across the roof. Hal instantly collapsed in pain as he held his wrist.

"What the hell just happened?" asked Hal confused. "And how did you two move so fast?"

"Apparently Tempus has some sort of device that can manipulate time and he froze you until the effect wore off," Chloe lied.

"A time device?" asked Hal disbelieving her. "That's not possible."

"Welcome to Smallville, where the weird is possible," Chloe snorted. Hal flicked his wrist a couple times before turning around to look for Tempus.

"Where'd he go?" he asked.

"Escaped," said Clark simply.

"Well we'll get him next time," said Hal brushing himself off as the sun slowly set in the distance. "In the meantime I think we'd all be better off getting some sleep, if this guy can manipulate time we'll need to have all our wits about us."

With that Hal left from the roof leaving Chloe and Clark alone.

"So what'd you manage to dig up on him?" asked Clark curious.

"Not much since I haven't been to Metropolis to pour over the Planet's records, but I have been able to find out that he is a test pilot for the military," said Chloe.

"So at least he wasn't lying about something and if that's true then your theory might not hold any weight," Clark pointed out as the two headed downstairs.

"I still think he's lying to us," said Chloe. "About what, I don't know but I will find out."

"Chloe, even with my encounter with Professor Fine at the Fortress, I still would like to think that all humans have a spark of good in them. I haven't seen Hal try anything so far and I don't think he will. He's a good person Chloe and I have seen nothing to disprove that," said Clark.

"We'll see, we'll see," said Chloe still unsure. Clark sighed but left it at that as together the two walked through the deserted _Talon_ before closing up and leaving into the nighttime air.

Lex Luthor's Mansion: Lex sat at his desk contemplating the latest news report from Smallville about this madman with advanced weaponry. At times Lex wondered if this 'Tempus' person had stolen them from one of his facilities but he knew that if there had been a theft he would've known about it but if it the thief was from his own company… Before Lex could theorize any further, a bright flash filled the room causing Lex to shield his eyes before the light vanished revealing Tempus inside the room. Lex quickly snapped up the gun he kept so handy by his side and aimed it at Tempus who laughed.

"Please Mr. Luthor if you think that'll affect me you're more crazy than I thought. Besides, if I believed you were to use that on me I would deprive you of it before you even had the chance," said Tempus cackling. "But you can feel free to try and shoot me if you wish."

Lex trained the gun on Tempus for a few more seconds before laying it on his desk and steepling his hand in front of his face.

"What do you want, Mr. Tempus is it, I'm a busy man," said Lex annoyed.

"I know, I know," Tempus agreed a little intimidated by the man. "I just wanted to meet the legend before he became the legend."

"You'll forgive me if I don't get up and bow," said Lex. "Now tell me what you want or get out."  
"Yes of course," said Tempus. "I need your help."

"And I should help you why?" asked Lex beginning to contemplate calling security.

"Because I know of your lust for information and I know things that nobody could possibly know," said Tempus. Lex looked at his watch.

"If your name Tempus is derived somehow from time than you should know when your sixty seconds are up," said Lex.

"Would you mind putting your watch on the table?" Tempus asked. Lex was about to challenge him before deciding it wasn't worth the effort so he placed it on the table.

"Forty seconds," said Lex leaning back in his chair.

"More time than you could possibly imagine," said Tempus with a grin. He yanked out his portable time device and aimed it at Lex as a beam shot out and encompassed them both.

"What did you do?" demanded Lex after making sure he was okay.

"Check your watch," said Tempus crossing his arms. Lex looked down at his watch to see that the second hand was frozen.

"If you killed me watch, I'll kill…," began Lex.

"Wait for it," said Tempus ignoring his rant. As Lex watched astonished, his watch second hand moved slowly from one second to the next.

"What did you do?" asked Lex partially amazed.

"Slowed time down," said Tempus. "And I can share this technology with you if you help me kill Clark Kent and Hal Jordan. Well that's about it, guess I'd better finish the other sixty seconds then."

Tempus adjusted a switch on his device and the watch on Lex's desk shot forward at an insane speed before ending sixty seconds later than when they'd started and the time bubble vanished.

"How do I know you didn't rig this?" asked Lex putting on his watch.

"It's your watch," Tempus offered. "You can have it checked out if you like though you won't find anything of note…at least not from me at any rate."

"Still, Clark is, was, my friend and Hal Jordan is the one who is going to accept delivery of my new plane, why should I turn against them?" Lex asked, curious for Tempus's answer.

"Let's just say Clark Kent will become more of a thorn in your side in the coming years than you can possibly imagine. As for Hal Jordan, well, I'm sure you've contemplated the potential of secretly selling your plane to those fools in Kaznia and then developing a better one for the US military, I say go for it," said Tempus.

"I'm not going to respond to that," said Lex. "But even so, with all the gadgets you have what could you possibly need from me?"

"Simple, kryptonite," stated Tempus.

"Kryptonite?" asked Lex confused. "What's that?"

"My apologies, I meant the meteor rocks that you have so much vested interest in. In my time we call them kryptonite," Tempus explained. Lex chose to ignore the 'time' comment and focus on the matter at hand.

"And how many meteor rocks would you need?" he asked.

"Just one," responded Tempus. "Any size will do though the larger the rock the better."

"Why?" asked Lex.

"It isn't important," said Tempus. "But I will answer another question of your choosing if that's alright."

"I'll ask as many as I feel is sufficient," Lex responded. Tempus tipped his head towards him and waited patiently for his response.

"If I don't give you the rocks, what will you do?" asked Lex.

"Find some on my own though that'll take awhile," responded Tempus.

"Why not take them from me?" Lex asked.

"Because Mr. Luthor, I know what has become of those who have suffered your wrath and I have no intention of becoming one of them. Very few have managed to double cross you and live and I know I won't be among those lucky few even with advanced technology at my disposal," said Tempus.

"Flattery will get you nowhere," Lex smirked.

"It's not flattery it's the truth," said Tempus grimly. Lex eyed him curiously.

"You fear me don't you?" Lex asked. Tempus shrugged.

"I somewhat fear you right now, but I definitely do fear who you'll become," the time traveler responded. Lex wanted to press for more but chose to wait until a later date, best not to gorge on information all at once and become drunk on it. Lex reached into his desk and retrieved a meteor rock and tossed it to Tempus who caught it and regarded it carefully before putting it into his pocket.

"I trust whatever you do will not be tied to me," said Lex. Tempus shook his head.

"I have no intention of compromising you Mr. Luthor because if I fail you will be the primary thorn in my target's side over the next few years and if I can't kill him I intend to see him suffer yet again," said Tempus, his eyes glazed over before spinning around and leaving. Lex watched go, a little disturbed by the meeting and still unsure what to make of it, when his chief scientist entered into the room.

"Progress?" asked Lex.

"The prototype is nearly complete and should be finished sometime tomorrow. Then it's just a matter of the military coming and picking it up," said the scientist. Lex nodded distantly, considering what Tempus had said as the scientist laid the specs down on his desk and excused herself out. Lex briefly eyed them over before laying the manual on his desk before turning around and looking out the nighttime window deep in thought. Finally he reached over and turned on his speaker phone.

"Prepare my jet for an immediate trip to New York and tell the Kaznian Ambassador that I have a proposition to discuss with him," said Lex.

"Yes sir," came the response. Lex smiled to himself before getting up and leaving his room behind.


	5. Infinite Crisis

Anguirus111 Note: This is the last chapter so I hope you enjoyed it, it's kind of a long one but it's worth it I think. This story wasn't some deep thought-provoking story, it was just a team up between two future members of the Justice League. Also, if any of you were hoping for some shipping in this story, I'm sorry I didn't really write any in. It's not like I'm against the idea it's just that there's plenty of shipping stories out there that are better than anything I could write so you should go read those instead.

Smallville: Clark was busy bailing some hay when he heard the noise of an engine in the distance. Looking into the distance he noticed a familiar looking Volkswagen Beetle in the distance. Grinning to himself as he lightly shook his head, Chloe pulled to a halt in front of him.

"Chloe, what a surprise," said Clark faking it. Chloe sighed before shaking her head.

"Have you ever been surprised with your powers?" asked Chloe getting out of her car.

"Well I certainly didn't see Professor Fine actually being some kryptonian device wanting to a free a rebel Kryptonian named Zod only to have you come and actually help me out," Clark admitted.

"I wasn't," said Chloe chuckling.

"That's good to know," said Clark leaning on his pitchfork. "So what's up?"

"Lex just left town," said Chloe.

"So?" asked Clark.

"Apparently after having met up with Tempus," Chloe added. Clark looked up at her sharply.

"Do you know about what?" he asked. Chloe shook her head disappointed.

"No, all I could get from the staff was that there was a blinding flash of light and Lex was talking to someone unseen and then Tempus exited Lex's office as Lex suddenly announced he was headed to go meet the Kaznian Ambassador," said Chloe.

"Why were you poking around Lex's place?" asked Clark.

"To see if they were in cahoots and to try and dig up more on Hal Jordan," Chloe responded. Clark sighed.

"Look," said Chloe. "If he's connected to Lex and Lex is connected to Tempus then…"

"Then nothing," responded Clark annoyed. "He almost died trying to save our lives yesterday and that speaks more to me than anything you have yet to prove."

"Clark…" began Chloe.

"No Chloe," said Clark shaking his head. "Normally I value your opinion, but I think you're wrong and I think I know why."

"Why?" demanded Chloe.

"When we were up in the barn not too long ago you said I was feeling 'hero envy' in regards to Arthur Curry. You're right, maybe I was, but now I think the shoe is in the other foot," said Clark crossing his arms.

"You think I want Hal to be my hero?" asked Chloe incredulously.

"No," said Clark shaking his head. "I think that you don't want to accept the fact that anybody other than me can do something good for others around here. I'm not the only hero in the world Chloe. And I don't know about you, but it's nice to know that if trouble arises, I'm not the only around to take care of it."

"Maybe you're right or maybe you're completely nuts," Chloe huffed before calming down. "But don't go around blabbing your little secret to him."

"I won't," Clark assured her. "Anyway I plan on heading into town soon to see if I can't dig up more on where Tempus is. Somehow I think finding him will be better than having him finding us."

"I agree," said Chloe. "So I'll see you in town then?"

Clark nodded. "I just need to finish up a couple more things and then I'll be right over."

"Good, it'll be a race then," said Chloe smirking. Clark rolled his eyes as Chloe laughed and got back in her car before slamming on the accelerator and tearing off down the dirt road. Clark watched her go before he turned around to keep bailing hay when a bright flash filled the space around him. After a couple moments the flash subsided and Clark found himself facing Tempus.

"Hello Superman," said Tempus. "Hard at work?"

"What do you want?" asked Clark as he turned his back to him to continue bailing hay.

"Your death of course," responded Tempus bluntly.

"Why?" asked Clark. "Chloe said something about me creating some utopia in the future, is it because of that?"

"That's right," said Tempus. "A world free of crime, poverty, and despair where no one ever has to fear anything and where no criminal will ever pull off a successful heist. A Brave New World if you will and it sickens me so I'm here to stop your destiny from being fulfilled that created it. So what do you have to say about that?"

"To tell you the truth, I kind of agree with you," said Clark.

"What?" asked Tempus confused. Clark finished his bailing and sat down on a block of hay.

"Everyone keeps telling me that I have a destiny to fulfill, that I have to be a hero, that I have to be the champion of the innocent, that I have to fight for truth, justice, and who knows what else, or that I'm going to go to college and come back to marry Lana and dabble in law enforcement. But to tell you the truth, I'm sick of it. I want to be my own person who makes my own choices and decisions. If I don't become those things, or even if I do, I want it to be because I made that choice and not because someone told me I had to and took that choice away from me," said Clark. Tempus nodded.

"If it makes you feel any better I know how you feel. In the future it seemed like my choices were limited as well to doing something that would somehow someday benefit society. But I chose to do something different to my life and I dedicated myself to an ideal that would harm society. I make no excuses for what I've done and I certainly have no regrets about it either," responded the time-traveller.

"So you're still going to kill me then?" asked Clark dusting himself.

"Afraid so," said Tempus. "But thank you Superman. I promise that when I return to whatever future awaits me that I will spread no more ill will about you."

"Thanks…I think," said Clark putting his hands into his jacket pockets.

"Anything else you'd like to know?" asked Tempus amicably.

"Just one thing, what's the deal with Hal Jordan?" asked Clark. "You seem to want to kill him as much as you want to kill me and I wanted to know why."

"It's because like you Hal Jordan will also one day become a hero to millions. You and he will team up on a number of occasions to right the wrongs that go on in this world and help to create that utopian society I loathe so much. I figured that since he was here now, why not take you both out for double the fun," said Tempus. "Course I have come to realize that even in the past the two of you are a formidable pair, maybe not as much as you and Batman necessarily, but a formidable pair nonetheless. Well, I think the time for talk is over, goodbye Superman, it's been fun but your _time_ is up."

"We'll see," said Clark getting ready to rush him. But before he could he began to feel an intense pain inside and collapsed to the ground as Tempus removed a large chunk of kryptonite from a box he was carrying and held out at arm's length.

"A little gift from our friend Lex Luthor," said Tempus darkly as he hunched over Clark's fallen form. "You see Superman I do know all about you including your strengths and your weaknesses and while I had hoped to take you out with my own ingenuity I can see that won't be possible. Come Superman, we're going for a ride."

Tempus grabbed Clark's wrist and both vanished in a flash of light.

Smallville: Chloe stood outside _The Talon_ looking in at the patrons, as well as her own reflection, before she glanced at her watch.

"_Where is he?_" she wondered annoyed and slightly concerned. Before she could decide what to do she saw the image of Hal Jordan appear next to her on the glass. Chloe steeled herself before turning to look at the fighter pilot.

"Have you seen Clark?" asked Hal drinking some coffee. "I was kind of hoping we could finish off this Tempus ordeal once and for all today."

"Why? You have to be somewhere?" asked Chloe suspiciously, despite herself. Hal shrugged helplessly.

"I was only on temporary assignment and it ends today. I just need to pick something up and then I'm out but…it would just feel wrong to leave still knowing that that madman was still running loose around here. I'm sorry, I'm probably talking crazy right now, but it's a nagging feeling that I can't get rid of," said Hal.

"I know how you feel," admitted Chloe honestly and reluctantly to herself that she was beginning to see what Clark saw in this man that she could not.

"Oh well, if you see him let me know," said Hal preparing to leave. But before he could, the glass window began to inexplicably distort itself as Chloe and Hal's reflections merged together in a swirl of colors that finally resolved itself into the form of Tempus. Both started at it wide-eyed before the image opened its mouth and began to talk.

"Hello Green Lantern, hello Chloe Sullivan," said the image with disgust. Hal was so shocked that he dropped his Styrofoam cup which miraculously managed to land upright on the ground without spilling.

"I need to switch to decaf," said Hal rubbing his eyes.

"Me too," said Chloe softly.

"This isn't a hallucination you fools!" shouted Tempus before calming down. "Anyway as I was about to say, I've captured Clark Kent and I intend to finish him off once and for all. But I despise you two as much as him so if you want to spare me the trouble of having to come and finish you off, or if you want to try and vainly rescue him I'm at the Luthorcorp Airfield on the outskirts of town. I'd say come alone but nobody you bring with you could stop me anyway so…good luck," said Tempus with a big grin before he began laughing maniacally as his image dissolved. Hal growled angrily and clenched his hand into a fist and smashed it against the window of _The Talon_. Inside the patrons looked at him startled before Hal held up his hands innocently before flashing his Military ID as the patrons turned back around to their business.

"I'm going to stop him once and for all," said Hal angrily.

"I know how you feel but we can't rush into this," said Chloe trying to calm him down. "We need a plan."

"Yeah we're going to go there and I'm gonna give him a beatdown he's never going to forget," said Hal. "Nobody holds a friend of mine hostage while I'm around."

Chloe sighed before Hal looked at her and nodded.

"Yeah I hear ya," Hal admitted. "We'll come up with something on the ride over there. I just need to pick up some stuff first."

Chloe nodded gratefully as they got into the car and drove to the recruiting office as Hal rushed in and returned with some stuff including the green lantern he'd had the previous day.

"What's that for?" asked Chloe confused.

"He seems so desperate for a green lantern that I figure hitting him once with it just isn't enough," explained Hal. Chloe looked at him even more confused.

"Just drive," said Hal annoyed at the whole situation. Chloe hit the accelerator and the car moved down the road headed for the field.

"So what're we going to do to get Clark out of there?" asked Chloe after a couple moments of silence.

"Don't worry, I have a plan," said Hal confidently.

Landing Field: Tempus consulted his pocketwatch before grumbling to himself. He and Clark were in the middle of the unoccupied airfield after Tempus had scared everybody off and were awaiting the arrival of Hal and Chloe.

"You know people were a lot more punctual in my time," Tempus lamented. "Usually if you committed a burglary or something there would be a superhero ready to bash your skull in within moments. I do realize such a thing wouldn't exactly happen today, but still this waiting is getting on my nerves."

"If I know Chloe, she's probably doing that on purpose," Clark spat at him. Clark was laying on the runway tied up tightly with the kryptonite just far enough out of reach to not kill him but instead zap him of his powers.

"I suppose I shouldn't be surprised, she's no different in the future either," Tempus commented.

"Good to hear," said Clark angry. "If one thing is the same as the future than other things will bound to be as well."

"Oh, ha, ha, I didn't realize you were really the Joker in disguise," said Tempus as he rolled his eyes. "They'd better show up soon because I'm getting angry and you won't like me when I'm angry."

"With you, who can tell?" asked Clark deliberately provoking him. Tempus growled and kicked Clark hard in the stomach causing him to keel inwards but he didn't stop smiling because as Tempus turned his back to him, a tiny red dot displayed itself on the ground right in front of Clark before shutting off again.

Elsewhere: Chloe and Hal were splayed down on the roof of a nearby building from across the airfield as Hal trained a sniper rifle on the two figures in the field.

"I wish Ollie was here," Hal lamented.

"Who?" asked Chloe.

"Oliver Queen, an old buddy of mine. He may not use guns, but he's got accuracy with a bow and arrow that's unparalleled," Hal said. "I wish he were the one making this shot and not me."

"You can't hit it yet?" asked Chloe.

"He won't stop moving so I can get an accurate shot," said Hal. "What we need is to slow him down somehow."

"How?" asked Chloe. Hal raised an eyebrow at her and grinned.

"Oh great," said Chloe exasperated.

"Look at it this way, when I pull it off maybe you'll stop distrusting me," Hal reasoned.

"Yeah," said Chloe sighing. "Well here goes."

Runway: Tempus pulled out his sonic disruptor and trained it on Clark.

"Goodbye hero," said Tempus. "I just wish your friends were here to witness this."

But before he could pull the trigger, he heard the sound of an engine as Chloe's Volkswagen appeared from behind a building and raced towards him.

"Finally, results," said Tempus pleased with himself. However, the car didn't stop coming straight at him but accelerated.

"Is she crazy?" asked Tempus, looking down at Clark.

"When it comes to ensuring my safety, yes," said Clark.

"If that's how she wants to play it then," said Tempus pulling out his temporal device and aiming it at the Volkswagen.

"Say hello to infinity," said Tempus happily as he reached for the activation switch.

Roof: "Say hello to my little friend," said Hal with a grin as he lined up the temporal device in his crosshairs before pulling down on the trigger.

Ground: As Tempus was about to activate the device, he saw the red dot appear on the front of it.

"No!" he shouted. But before he could do anything the device erupted in a shower of sparks as the bullet passed right through it. Tempus roared at the heavens as Chloe's vehicle came to a screeching halt right next to Clark, positioning itself between him and the kryptonite.

"C'mon Clark!" shouted Chloe throwing open the passenger door. Clark struggled to get up but before he could get himself into a position to get into the vehicle, Tempus appeared slamming his foot down on Clark's side as he collapsed back down. Before Chloe could react however, Tempus revealed his sonic disruptor which he aimed at her.

"Goodbye Sullivan!" shouted the time traveler. But before he could pull down on the trigger a dark blur came from out of nowhere and smashed itself hard against the side of Tempus' head. The traveler was suddenly flung to the side and hit the ground hard as Hal stood behind where he was breathing heavily as he held the barrel of the sniper rifle with the other end having been shattered after he swung it at Tempus.

"You alright?" he asked of Chloe who nodded somewhat frightened by Hal's dark hunched over appearance. As Hal turned to face Tempus, a sonic scream erupted as a massive bolt of energy just barely missed his head and smashed into a giant hanger nearby blowing the doors off and exposing a massive silver and black plane inside.

"_That must be the plane I was sent here to collect_," thought Hal briefly before turning his attention back to Tempus. The time traveler was struggling to get up as he held his head in pain while shakily brandishing his sonic disruptor.

"In the name of the United States Air Force you are under-," began Hal when suddenly Tempus moved at a superhuman speed and punched Hal so hard he went flying backwards before hitting the ground out of breath and in severe pain.

"Guess I forgot to mention that I'm the product of genetic engineering as is everyone else from my future," said Tempus instantly leaping up onto his feet. Hal struggled to get to his feet but before he could, Tempus kicked him with such force that he went skidding across the runway and into the hanger with the advanced military plane and straight into the front landing gear. Out on the field Tempus cracked his neck and stretched out his arms.

"Alright, who's next?" he demanded. But before he could find his next challenger, it found him as Chloe rammed her car right into Tempus' back causing him to go flying forward as well and straight into the side of a B-17 Bomber that was sitting in the middle of the runway. Scowling, Tempus pushed himself off of the plane and turned around to face the now crumpled vehicle where Chloe was still in a daze. Smiling to himself he steadily advanced towards the vehicle when a loud roar caught his attention. Turning around smugly, his expression quickly turned to fear as a sidewinder missile came straight at him. Quickly throwing himself to the runway the missile just barely missed his head, though the missile's rocket singed his back causing him to yell in pain. As Tempus looked on, the massive _LexWing_ exited the hanger and slowly rolled towards him, Hal Jordan at the controls. The time traveler quickly got up and stumbled over to Clark and grabbed him along with the kryptonite and made his way to the B-17 as the sidewinder exploded in the distance causing the ground to shake. The _LexWing_ meanwhile had turned onto the runway and was advancing towards him when it met an obstacle in its path, Chloe's damaged car. As the plane sat there idling, Tempus tossed Clark and the kryptonite into the rear of the plane before making his way to the cockpit. He tossed a couple switches and the engines roared to life, leaving the advanced military jet behind.

"So long suckers!" shouted Tempus into the radio as his plane pulled up and left the runway. Down below Hal scowled before heading to the back and tossing open the hatch only to bound down the steps and rush to Chloe's Volkswagen.

"C'mon! Out, out, out," said Hal as he opened Chloe's door and helped her out. As Chloe finally snapped to her senses about what had just happened she looked up at the massive plane behind them in awe.

"Is that why you came here…to Smallville I mean," she asked as Hal put her car into neutral and began pushing it off the runway.

"I'll deny it later, but yes. Luthor's been attempting to regain his contracts with the military and this was his first attempt. I was supposed to pick this bird up today which is why I wanted to finish this whole Tempus ordeal ASAP and thankfully with this plane I'll be able to do just that," said Hal as he finished pushing the car off of the runway. Turning around he noticed that Chloe was nowhere to be seen.

"Chloe?" asked Hal confused. "Man she's just like Clark."

Taking one last look into the car, Hal grabbed the green lantern that was sitting in the back seat before bounding up the ladder back into the plane. Hal quickly closed the hatch and moved down a central aisle filled with sophisticated sensor equipment before entering the cockpit and flipping several switches as he tossed the lantern into the copilot's seat.

"This is Hal Jordan, USAF, I am taxing onto the runway and preparing for takeoff, over," said Hal to no one in particular. He then grabbed a hold of the throttle and eased the plane forward before slamming on the afterburners and was slammed into his seat as the plane boosted forward hard and then took to the sky.

"Okay, let's see here," said Hal consulting the radar image displayed next to him before looking to his left and pulling out a massive binder labeled: _Instructions_. He shifted the massive thing onto his lap while trying to find some instructions on how to operate the various systems around him.

"Couldn't you have just built a normal plane Luthor?" Hal grumbled as he pressed a couple switches on the board in front of him. It was as he was trying to toggle the display mode on the radar that he heard a rustling from behind him. Quickly getting over his surprise, he narrowed his eyes and reached for the lantern next to him and quickly spun around towards the source of the intrusion. Chloe was just standing in the entryway to the cockpit and Hal was so stunned that he forgot about the yoke and the plane instantly went into a nosedive. Hal quickly spun around and wrestled with the plane as Chloe hung onto the entryway for dear life as the ground came spinning right at them.

"I'm the best test pilot there is and I'll be damned if this plane is going to be the death of me," said Hal through gritted teeth. Finally he managed to get some pull on the yoke and the plane finally leveled out. Hal expelled the breath of air he'd been holding in as Chloe sat down in the seat next to him and buckled herself in.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Hal demanded.

"Rescuing my friend," said Chloe simply before reluctantly admitting. "Plus I am trying to get a good story for the Planet."

"Do you have any idea how many laws you are breaking by being in this cockpit? This plane is officially classified you know," Hal asked trying to repress his anger.

"Somehow I don't think word will leak out that I was anywhere near this cockpit," said Chloe.

"And what makes you think that?" asked Hal bitterly.

"Because that would mean admitting that you let me onto a classified plane in the first place," said Chloe simply. Hal bit back a curse before grabbing the binder that had spilled onto the floor in front of him and slamming it down on Chloe's lap.

"Radar, now!" he shouted at her. Chloe quickly flipped through the binder and found the information on how to operate the radar.

"What do you want to know?" she asked.

"From what I've heard, this plane can determine plane types based on the radar outline it produces. I need to know where that B-52 is right now," said Hal. Chloe nodded and read through the instructions as she tried to make the most of it given her limited knowledge of airplanes.

"Okay, here goes," said Chloe. She reached down and flipped a couple buttons on the radar and the image shifted from transponders to plane configurations.

"There we go," said Chloe triumphantly.

"Now where's the B-52?" asked Hal.

"It's at 12:00, directly ahead," said Chloe. "Wow, I feel so militaristic."

"Well in that case I hope you're ready for some gees," said Hal as he toggled the afterburners and the plane's engines flashed brightly as it exploded forward.

B-52: The plane was locked on autopilot as Tempus stood looking out one of the open windows of the plane as he stared off into the horizon as Clark lay on the floor behind him still bound and in close proximity to the kryptonite.

"It's so beautiful here," he said mesmerized. "No skyscrapers permeating the horizon, no constant bustling about of hovercars, in fact no noise period. You don't know how good you've got it here Superman."

"I've been kidnapped by a madman who is slowly killing me with radioactive kryptonite while awaiting my death. How is that good?" Clark berated him. Tempus sighed.

"I'm sorry Clark you don't deserve to be involved in this. My quarrel is with Superman and if I could kill him and still leave you alive I would, I honestly would, but unfortunately I can't," said Tempus sadly. "I really am sorry. You're a good man and one of my favorite writers of all time and yet somehow when you put on that cape and outfit you become the man I hate the most."

Clark just looked at him totally and utterly confused.

"You're crazy," he said finally. Tempus turned around and nodded.

"Yes, I truly suspect that I am," he responded. As he did, the _Lexwing_ silently rose up from below them and took up a flanking position next to the B-52. A device that Tempus had on him began beeping and immediately the time traveler looked over his shoulder at the plane and sighed.

"Your friends are here," he said to Clark nonchalantly.

"Good," said Clark. Tempus sighed as he put his hands into his pockets before pulling out a small futuristic control device he had in his pocket and switched it on.

"Engage auto-turrets, lock on to target, and engage," he said into the device. Up in the cockpit, another futuristic device was attached to the controls and activated. One of the guns on the starboard side of the plane instantly came to life and began shooting live rounds at the _LexWing_.

"Hold on," said Hal as he threw the plane up onto its side and dove down below the B-52's range of fire. The plane then took up a new position just below the B-52 as Tempus looked at it bemused.

"What kind of defense systems do this craft have?" Hal asked to Chloe.

"You don't know?" she asked incredulously.

"My mission was to take it back to deliver it to the military, not go into combat with it," Hal shot back. "And since I can't go on the offensive just yet I'd like to know what other options I have."

"Fine, fine," said Chloe backing down as she continued reading through the binder. A light suddenly blossomed from the back of the B-52.

"Heads up!" shouted Hal as he suddenly threw the plane into a barrel roll before yanking back hard on the stick as the plane suddenly went vertical as a massive bolt of energy narrowly missed them.

"I need something quickly," said Hal to his copilot.

"Right, here we go," said Chloe as she looked around at the switches around her before pressing one. Instantly several motors were heard springing to life as several clicking noises were heard.

"What did you do?" asked Hal.

"According to this I engaged this plane's ablative armor. Whatever that is," said Chloe unsure.

"Well I'll guess we'll find out soon enough," said Hal as he eased the plane upwards again.

"We still haven't found out how we're going to rescue Clark yet," Chloe pointed out.

"One thing at a time, one thing at a time," said Hal. The plane once again resumed its course directly parallel to the B-52.

"Back for more, Green Lantern, it's just as well," said Tempus happily before raising the control device to his lips. "All guns, fire!"

More bullets erupted from the starboard side of the plane but this time the _LexWing_ did nothing to avoid them as the bullets ricocheted off the newly exposed interlocking armor. Tempus looked at the plane nonplussed before pulling out his sonic disruptor.

"So long Lantern!" shouted Tempus when suddenly Clark kicked out with his bound legs and Tempus fell backwards as his disruptor went off blowing a large whole in the roof of the plane. Tempus quickly go to his feet and whirled at Clark angrily as he aimed the disruptor at him.

"You're going to pay for that!" he shouted. But before he could squeeze the trigger, the _LexWing_ slammed hard into the side of the B-52 causing Tempus to be thrown off of his feet again as the sonic disruptor was torn from his grip and went clattering to the floor of the bomber and away from him.

"Insolents!" shouted Tempus looking out at the fighter craft that was outside the now enlarged window. Tempus however was in the shock of his life as the latest in advanced military technology suddenly swung about until it was facing the B-52 while still traveling 'forward'.

"Oh shi-," began Tempus as the _LexWing_ opened fire on him.

LexWing: "Damn Luthor I am impressed," said Hal astonished at both the fact that he'd managed to twist the plane the direction it was and that he and Chloe were now staring out the window that had just morphed into a thermal imager that was displaying the inner workings of the plane including Tempus and Clark.

"Now can I open fire?" Hal asked Chloe.

"Yes," said Chloe reluctantly. "But be careful."

The massive minigun located on the nose of the aircraft spun to life and began tearing apart the plane as Tempus ran to avoid them.

"Wait, see that green rock?" Chloe pointed out on the HUD.

"Yeah," said Hal.

"Take it out," Chloe responded.

"Why?" asked Hal.

"Just do it!" Chloe shouted. Hal shook his head at her before aiming at the rock. Inside, Tempus watched the bullet rip the kryptonite to pieces.

"No!" he shouted before grabbing his sonic disruptor and blindly aimed out the side of the smoking plane and blindly fired it.

"Hal!" shouted Chloe as she saw the incoming bolt.

"It's too late, better brace yourself," the pilot responded calmly. The bolt slammed into the rear of the plane, instantly blowing out the rear engines and sent the plane plummeting to the ground below. Tempus smiled triumphantly before turning his attention to Clark.

"Now where were…we?" asked Tempus confused. Clark was nowhere to be seen instead the ropes binding him were seen shredded on the floor. Tempus looked around the smoky interior of the plane in desperation as he nervously held out his sonic disruptor. The smoke then instantly blew apart as a blur came right at him and seized Tempus's wrists. Tempus yelled out in pain as Clark deliberately applied pressure to them to the point that Tempus found it more and more difficult to hold onto the disruptor.

"You've hurt my friends for the last time Tempus," Clark growled. Tempus glared back at him.

"Maybe, but then again neither of us are going to survive this so what's it matter?" asked the time traveler madly. He yanked down on the trigger and the sonic disruptor blew out the bottom of the craft and Clark suddenly found himself in a free fall.

"So long Superman!" shouted Tempus happily from the aircraft just seconds before the fire raging in the plane spread to the engines and both exploded sending the plane into a massive spiral out of control. As Clark kept falling through the sky, he was instantly reminded me of his long descent after he had stopped that nuclear missile that had been launched at Smallville.

"_The only difference being that now other peoples lives are at stake,_" thought Clark grimly as he noticed the out of control _LexWing_ below him. Clark tucked in his arms and aimed straight down as he increased his descent towards the vehicle. Inside, Chloe was in the back rummaging around as best she could despite the smoke pouring around inside as Hal struggled up in the cockpit to stop the plane's rapid fall.

"C'mon start you stupid thing," Hal grumbled as he hit the engine start button repeatedly to no avail. Chloe meanwhile reappeared from the back coughing heavily as smoke began pouring into the cockpit.

"I couldn't find anything, parachutes or otherwise," she said helplessly. Hal blew out a long breath of air.

"Well at least we'll be dying in style," Hal offered before slamming his hand against the console. "I just wish I'd been able to save Clark."

"You saw how he got free from those ropes before we went down I'm sure he'll make it out okay," said Chloe secretly knowing that he would be with the kryptonite gone.

"Ms. Sullivan I apologize for being the cause of your death," said Hal beginning to start coughing from the smoke.

"And I apologize for thinking you were someone you weren't. Thanks for trying to save Clark," said Chloe coughing even more heavily as her eyelids drooped lower and lower until she was sound asleep. Hal, who had been trained in such emergencies and was practicing select breathing exercises, grabbed the copilot's air mask and strapped it over Chloe's mouth before putting his own on as well.

"For what it's worth," he said softly. A loud thud suddenly echoed from the ceiling startling Hal as Clark appeared in front of the windshield slowly crawling his way towards the nose of the plane. Hal's jaw dropped at the same time Clark's did when he saw Chloe in the copilot seat. Hal held up his hands helplessly as Clark steeled himself and grabbed a hold of the nose of the plane and began straining to pull it up. Hal wanted to laugh, but couldn't bring himself to do it when faced with Clark's attempts to save them despite the inherent danger to his own life.

"Yeah Clark, no one's going to be dying anytime soon," he said. To his surprise, Clark turned around and nodded his head as if he heard him.

"_Maybe you are Superman_," Hal thought with a grin before he grabbed a hold of the stick once more and began tugging back on it with all of his might.

"C'mon you piece of crap, c'mon!" Hal shouted at the plane as the plane burst through a layer of clouds and the ground suddenly became visible. Hal kept glancing at the altimeter and gyroscope on the plane and to his surprise, the plane almost seemed to be leveling out bit by bit but Hal knew that by the time it finally did, it'd have hit the ground long before then.

"Guess Tempus won in the end," Hal said finally, feeling defeated as the ground grew larger and larger in the window. As he calmly closed his eyes, a green glow almost seemed to permeate his eyelids. Opening them again, Hal looked down below him at the green lantern that he had brought with him and it seemed to glow an ephemeral shade of green. Hal picked it up and the light from the lantern increased, beginning to fill the entire cabin of the plane.

"_Oh what the hell, you only live once. Now what was it Tempus said?_" Hal wondered before snapping his fingers. "In…brightest day…in blackest night…let no evil escape my sight. Let those who worship evil's might beware my power! Green Lantern's light!"

The lantern's light suddenly exploded and everything turned to green.

Time passed…

Chloe blinked and opened her eyes to see clouds passing by far overhead.

"So this is what heaven is like," she said sitting up.

"Not quite," said a voice. Chloe turned her head to see Clark sitting next to her.

"Oh Clark I always knew you'd-," began Chloe.

"You're not dead," said Clark cutting her off before she said something that would potentially embarrass them both.

"I'm not?" asked Chloe.

"Nope," responded Clark happily with a large grin.

"But how?" asked Chloe confused. "Did you save us?"

Clark shook his head.

"I'm not sure what happened exactly, all I remember is being unable to bring the plane from its nosedive when suddenly a green glow came from the cockpit and encompassed everything around us. Then the next thing I know I'm on the ground, you're lying next to me and Hal is looking at the burning wreckage of the plane you guys were in," said Clark.

"Did Hal say what happened?" asked Chloe. Clark shrugged.

"He wasn't sure either, all he remembered was that a green glow erupted from the lantern he'd been carrying and everything else was a blur after that until he found himself on the ground next to the wreckage of the plane. He thinks there was some emergency escape system he wasn't aware of and blacked out before it was activated," answered Clark.

"Then maybe he was the Green Lantern after all," Chloe pointed out cheekily. "And if that's true then that'd mean in your future you'd…"

"Chloe drop it," Clark warned. "If you say one more thing about my destiny…"

"But-," began Chloe when Hal appeared.

"You okay?" he asked to her. Chloe nodded.

"Good, now let's get going we've got a long walk ahead of us and I'd like to be far away from here before the authorities show up," said Hal. Chloe nodded knowing they'd never be able to explain this to anyone and got up as the trio left the plane wreckage behind.

"So what became of your lantern?" asked Chloe.

"It vanished," said Hal mystified. "Don't know how or why but it did."

"Listen Hal, about what you may have seen out there during the freefall," Clark began. Hal grinned at him and laughed.

"Don't worry Clark, somehow I suspect the blood rushing to my head probably made me see things that weren't there. And if the military asks anything, my mission was to bring that bird home not to be investigating some superhuman individual," he responded. "All the same, thanks for the help."

"The same," said Clark in turn. Hal nodded.

"All the same, it was fun. If you ever need any help dealing with someone like Tempus don't hesitate to call," Hal added.

"I will," said Clark truthfully. "Maybe one day I'll organize a meeting of people who've helped me out over the years."

"Yeah, maybe we could all team up and fight crime," Hal snorted with a grin. "_I'm sure Ollie and Barry would get a kick out of that._"

"Maybe," Clark mused.

"So what do you think became of Tempus?" asked Chloe butting in.

"I dunno, but I would feel confident in saying that's the last we'll ever see of him," said Hal throwing his hands into his pockets as he looked up at the sky above.

Elsewhere: A long trail of destruction was seen as in the distance the fiery remains of the B-52 could be seen. A door was suddenly kicked open with a loud thud as a bruised and bleeding Tempus stumbled from the bomber and collapsed onto the ground outside.

"Ha, ha!" he shouted triumphantly. "You think I'm dead Justice Leaguers, but I'm not. We'll see who time really favors now won't we!"

Suddenly a pair of bright lights flashed in front of him as two figures appeared from out of nowhere, one green and the other clad in red and blue.

"No!" Tempus shouted brandishing the sonic disruptor. "I won't be denied my revenge!"

The red and blue figure suddenly accelerated to superspeed and grabbed the device from Tempus before he could activate it as a green pair of tongs, made of impossible energy, picked up the defeated time traveler.

"Hello Tempus," said The Green Lantern with a grin. "We heard you were running loose in this timeframe so we came to stop you. But I can see we came too late."

"Ha, ha. Shut up!" shouted Tempus. "Just throw me in jail and be done with it."

"Well only if you insist," said Superman amicably before laughing. The Green Lantern slapped a device onto Tempus' back and suddenly the time traveler vanished. Alone, Hal and Clark looked up at the daytime sky.

"Man I'd forgotten what it used to be like," said Superman breathing in deeply.

"What are you talking about? It's still the same, the only difference being ten years. It's a lot more similar than from whenever Tempus came from," Green Lantern pointed out.

"True, but still…" began Superman. Green Lantern nodded.

"Yeah I understand," he admitted.

"Well we'd better get going," said Superman finally.

"Maybe not," Green Lantern mused.

"Huh?" asked Superman confused.

"Let's go into town for a little bit," Green Lantern suggested.

"What?" shouted Superman.

"Why not?" asked Green Lantern. "Just for a couple hours, it couldn't hurt."

"You know what Batman would-," began Superman.

"Screw Batman! Either you come or you don't but I'm going to get some food from _The Talon_, I promised you that I would someday," said Green Lantern taking to the sky encompassed by green energy. Superman sighed, considered his options, and then took off after him.

Later, Smallville: The future versions of Clark Kent and Hal Jordan strode into town in new civilian clothing that they'd 'borrowed' from the Kent farm, with Superman reasoning that it was technically his anyway while Green Lantern had just laughed.

"Man it's hard to believe the first time I ever came here was a whopping three days ago," Green Lantern commented wryly.

"Yeah and I was just here yesterday no matter how you look at it," Superman responded in turn before adjusting his glasses.

"Why did you wear those things?" Green Lantern asked. "It's not like you have a secret identity to protect here or anything."

"Force of habit," responded Superman nonchalantly. "It feels odd not wearing them when I'm not in uniform."

"Suit yourself," said Green Lantern as the two approached and then entered _The Talon_ and briefly ordering something to eat before sitting down at one of the tables.

"Did you ever figure out what the deal was with that lantern?" asked Superman eating a banana.

"I asked The Guardians about it a few years back and from what I got out of their cryptic response, apparently the lantern came into being as a defense mechanism to Tempus's tampering with the timeline. It existed long enough to protect me from him and then vanished once I had been so as to ensure that I would get my ring the proper way from Abin Sur and not corrupt the timeline otherwise," said Green Lantern adjusting his green ring.

"Good to know," said Superman drinking some water from his glass. He set down the empty glass on the table when a waitress came up to them with a pitcher.

"Care for some more?" she asked. Superman nodded calmly trying to not display any emotion, something which Green Lantern failed as once he caught a good glimpse of the waitress he did a spit take into his glass before he began coughing.

"You okay?" asked the waitress.

"Fine…Lois," said the Lantern. "You just reminded me of someone I used to know."

"Go figure," said Lois. She smiled awkwardly and walked off as the Green Lantern began laughing.

"Quiet you're going to get us caught," said Superman.

"Unbelievable," said Green Lantern shaking his head. "I forgot that she was around these parts at this time."

"Yeah," said Superman suddenly nervous. "Listen if we could change…"

"Although maybe I'm seeing things, after all I haven't bumped into Lois much in the future, but does she seem I dunno somehow different to you?" asked Green Lantern confused.

"I don't know what you're talking about," said Superman quickly picking up his glass again. "It's probably the effects of the temporal jump wearing on your senses."

"Maybe…"

"Oh look there we are," said Superman abruptly changing the subject. Hal Jordan and Clark Kent had just entered into _The Talon_ upon which Lois appeared and promptly punched Hal hard in the shoulder after quietly sharing a few select words with him. Superman laughed at the same time Clark grinned.

"Shut up," said Green Lantern to Superman at the same time Hal Jordan did to Clark Kent. Superman suppressed a grin at that sentiment as did Clark Kent before the two sat down at a table just within earshot.

"You sure you can't stay for Thanksgiving?" Clark asked. "My parents would be glad to have you for dinner."

"Sorry," said Hal regretfully. "I really wish I could, but the top brass, who thankfully are unaware of my involvement with that plane's demise, have ordered me to swing by Gotham City to pick up some new propulsion system that's been designed by some company called WayneTech Enterprises. And I kind of need to successfully pull this off to get them off my back."

"Well maybe you'll encounter some problem in Gotham that needs fixing," said Clark with another grin.

"I sure hope not," Hal commented.

"Did you?" asked Superman.

"Thankfully no," said Green Lantern. "Though given what I know about Gotham now I'm kind of surprised that I didn't."

"Well it's been fun Clark but I've got to go," said Hal getting up.

"But you didn't get anything to eat," Clark protested.

"I'll come back someday then," said Hal.

"Yeah but who knows when that'll be," Clark pointed out.

"I know," said Green Lantern grinning.

"Hush," said Superman.

"What's he got to do with it?" asked Green Lantern chuckling.

"Oy, you're just like Guy," said Superman holding his head as Clark and Hal passed by them. Looking at each other, Superman and the Green Lantern finished their food and quickly headed for the exit as well. They stepped back out onto the street as they saw Hal and Clark by a large greyhound bus being joined by Chloe.

"Keep the peace," said Hal to the two of them.

"We'll do our best," said Chloe speaking for her and Clark.

"Yeah," said Clark nonplussed at that statement. Hal looked at Clark and held out his hand which Clark firmly grasped as the two shook.

"See you in the future Superman," Hal said.

"You too Green Lantern," responded Clark. Chloe snapped a photo despite herself as Hal collected his bags and entered the bus before it closed its doors and rumbled off.

"You think we'll ever see him again?" Chloe asked.

"Oh I don't have any doubt that we will," said Clark. As the two turned to leave, Clark noticed Superman and the Green Lantern leaning against a building trying to look casual. He eyed them oddly before shrugging his shoulders and letting it go as he advanced down the street with Chloe in silence.

"I think that's our cue," said The Green Lantern as he activated his time device.

"I think you're right," responded Superman as he activated his as well. He held out his hand which the Green Lantern shook.

"To the future," they both said.

"Though one thing still puzzles me," said the Green Lantern as he waited for the time device to power up.

"What's that?" asked Superman.

"I never did find out why Lex never got upset over the loss of his plane," responded the Green Lantern. But before Superman could respond the two vanished in a flash of light.

Airstrip: "The next time you want to provide my government with something, make sure it's in one piece Mr. Luthor," said the Kaznian Representative John Corbin to Lex Luthor. He walked off from the wreckage of the _LexWing_ that had been towed back along with the remains of the B-52. Lex scowled, having already come to suspect what had taken place.

"_Damn you Tempus and damn you Hal Jordan_," Lex thought angrily. He was about to head off and go give some select words to the military when something caught his eye. He bent down to retrieve it as his aide appeared.

"Sir, we've reviewed the security tapes and it is clear that Hal Jordan stole the _LexWing_. We're preparing a case now for you to get Mr. Jordan thrown out of the Air Force and permanently ruin his career," said the aide.

"You know I don't think that'll be necessary," said Lex. "In fact I think I now owe our friend Mr. Jordan quite a great deal actually."

"Sir?" asked the aide confused as Lex stood back up.

"Destroy any and all evidence of what really took place here and see that Ms. Sullivan's car is fixed up and returned to her," said Lex eying Chloe's damaged Volkswagen. "I meanwhile have a lot of work to do still ahead of me."

The aide looked at him confused before nodding and walking off. Lex watched the aide go before smiling darkly as he held up Tempus's damaged temporal device.

"And thankfully, I have all the time in the world," he said as a shadow crossed over his face and he left the airfield behind. "All the time in the world."


End file.
